Interior highlands, wetlands and most lakeshore in the new Lake Vermilion State Park will be limited to trails and remote camping opportunities, while major development will be focused in the northwest and northeast corners. That’s according to a draft master plan released by the Department of Natural Resources this past week.

Members of the citizens advisory committee and the public had an opportunity to view the plan and comment last Wednesday. The public will get another chance to weigh in on the plan, during an open house event set for Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Tower Civic Center. The event runs from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

A second open house is set for Tuesday, Dec. 7, at the Silverwood Regional Park, 2500 West County Road E., in Fridley, Minn. That event runs from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

The master plan is scheduled to go to DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten for approval shortly after the open houses.

A place at the lake

The draft plan calls for development of a wide range of year-round recreational opportunities at the park, ranging from rock climbing to canoeing and from camping to mountain biking and snowmobiling. Full service camping will be offered, along with more remote camping opportunities, such as camper cabins, yurts or boat-in campsites.

The park’s main lodge and visitor’s center is slated for construction in the northwest corner of the park, located on a scenic overlook between Stuntz and Mattson bays. The location will allow the center to serve visitors to the new park as well as those interested in the Soudan Underground Mine State Park. The two parks, which are contiguous, will see combined management in order to reduce costs.

The year-round park lodge is being billed as every Minnesotans “place at the lake,” and the facility envisioned will offer a number of amenities, including a swimming beach, a large pier, an amphitheater, a lakeside deck, outdoor fireplaces, indoor classroom space, equipment rentals, a gift shop, and food. Look for modern architecture, with northwoods accents, including rock and timbers. Major park facilities will likely offer wireless Internet connections, according to the plan.

The master plan was the result of nearly six months of work by DNR staff, with guidance from a citizens advisory committee. The group, which included several Tower-Soudan area representatives, has met regularly since the early summer to provide direction to the planning effort.

Camping both clustered and dispersed

The park’s primary camping facilities will be located in the northeastern corner of the park, near Armstrong Bay. A main campground, including space for RVs, is planned for construction on a gravelly ridge overlooking Cable Bay. While the cluster of development in the northeast has been a concern to residents living on Armstrong Bay just outside the park, DNR officials have pushed the more intensive development a bit to the west in order to accommodate those concerns. Tom Pustovar, an Armstrong Bay resident, said the changes are an improvement on earlier versions of the plan, but he remains concerned about noise and other potential disturbance from what is likely to be a significant increase in the use of the area, which is currently quiet and remote.

While a more developed campground is planned in the northeast section, the master plan calls for primitive and semi-primitive camping opportunities dispersed throughout the park. Several hike-in campsites are planned, mostly in the park’s interior, which will see minimal development other than trail construction.

Boat launches are planned for the Armstrong Bay area, where a drive-up access is planned along with a portage-in launch for canoes and kayaks. Another boat launch is planned for the Stuntz Bay area. “The parks will work cooperatively with the Stuntz Bay Boathouse Association to effectively administer the boathouse leases, improve facilities for sanitation and interpretation, address traffic, parking, lake access, and other site-related concerns.”

At least two lake piers are also planned, one tentatively located in Cable Bay, near the campground, and the other located near the main lodge.

Western entry planned

Under the plan, the park’s main entrance, from Hwy. 169, will most likely be located near Jasper Peak. From there, visitors would arrive at a contact station before heading along a wishbone-type road system, which will utilize portions of the former Hwy. 169 right-of-way as well as newly constructed roads, most using old logging trails. A separate road will provide access from the main entrance to the underground mine portion of the park.

A backup entry point, near the Murray Road, could be used if the Jasper Peak site proves unworkable.

According to the plan, all park facilities will be designed for sustainability and will use renewable energy sources whenever possible, “striving for a goal of ‘net zero’ energy consumption and emissions on an annual basis for new development.”

Recreational options varied

Visitors to the park will have a wide range of recreational activities to choose from. Lake access will provide opportunities for boating, paddling, and fishing. Picnic sites will be located along the lakeshore. Trails for hiking, biking, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing will also be available. The plan also calls for the creation of “adventure areas,” where visitors, especially younger visitors, will be able to participate in outdoors skill-building. Possible activities include rock climbing, ropes course, zip lines, orienteering, archery, and mountain bike skill trails. The park will undertake market research to determine what types of activities are most appealing to park users.

While the master plan provides broad themes, most of the details of the proposal will be fleshed out by DNR staff over the coming years— assuming the plan is approved by the commissioner next month. While the plan is ambitious, the state’s financial situation is likely to delay funding for major facilities projects, possibly for years. But DNR officials have indicated the park is likely to be developed in phases as funding becomes available.